Thursday, March 3, 2016
Use Breathing
Breathing exercises provide convenient and simple stress relief in that they can be used anytime, anywhere, and they work quickly.
Take the stress in and release it
Literally embrace whatever it is you're going through and then let it go. Try doing a tai chi exercise known as embracing the tiger, where you take your arms, spread them wide, put your hands together and then draw them—and everything around you—toward your navel, the center of your being. Doing this allows you to take the good with the bad. Then reverse your hands and push them out, releasing your tension. When you can control stress, it can no longer control you.
Identify at least one good thing that happened today
It's a scenario played out every evening all over the country: Come home from work and start venting to your spouse or roommate about your day. Instead of creating a negative atmosphere the minute you walk in the door, try starting off the evening with your family or friends by exchanging good news. Something good every day, you just need to recognize it.
Don't be so serious
There's nothing like anxiety to annihilate your sense of humor. It would follow, then, that it's impossible to feel stressed when you're hunched over in a fit of giggles. Studies have shown, in fact, that laughter not only relieves tension, but actually improves immune function. Swap jokes with your friends. Rent a funny movie. Stop taking things so seriously!
Speak a stress-free language
People who handle stress well tend to employ what stress experts call an
"optimistic explanatory style." They don't beat themselves up when
things don't work out in their favor.
So instead of using statements that catastrophize an incident, like "I'm a complete failure," they might say to themselves, "I need to work on my backhand." Or they'll transfer blame to an external source. Rather than saying, "I really blew that presentation," it's, "That was a tough group to engage."
Replace the word "expect" with "hope." Expectations can only be used for those things over which you have the greatest personal control. You can expect to quench your thirst with a drink of water. You cannot expect to get the job you just interviewed for. You can hope to get it.
So instead of using statements that catastrophize an incident, like "I'm a complete failure," they might say to themselves, "I need to work on my backhand." Or they'll transfer blame to an external source. Rather than saying, "I really blew that presentation," it's, "That was a tough group to engage."
Replace the word "expect" with "hope." Expectations can only be used for those things over which you have the greatest personal control. You can expect to quench your thirst with a drink of water. You cannot expect to get the job you just interviewed for. You can hope to get it.
Take time to be touched
Experts haven't figured out why having your body pressed and prodded
works wonders, but they know that it does. Studies suggest massage can
speed up weight gain in premature babies, improve lung function in
asthmatics and boost immunity in men with HIV. If you can't indulge in
regular full-body massages, treat yourself to the occasional pedicure,
manicure or facial—all nurturing, hands-on treats that offer some of the
benefits of massage.
Be faithful to your workout routines
Working out is one of the most effective stress relievers.
Researchers recently found that after spending 30 minutes on a
treadmill, their subjects scored 25 percent lower on tests that measure
anxiety and showed favorable changes in brain activity. If you only have
time to do one thing for yourself, make it sticking to your workout
routines. If you can't hit the gym or trails, even a brisk 30-minute
walk at lunch or getting up several times a day to stretch and walk
around will help relieve stress.
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